US-12621912-B2 - Optoelectronic module and method for producing an optoelectronic module

US12621912B2US 12621912 B2US12621912 B2US 12621912B2US-12621912-B2

Abstract

An optoelectronic module includes a control element, at least one temperature sensor, and at least one semiconductor emitter unit. The semiconductor emitter unit includes at least a first emitter and a second emitter. The first emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range. The second emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The control element includes a memory unit and a driver output for each emitter. The temperature sensor determines a temperature. Each emitter is assigned a non-linear characteristic curve in the memory unit. The control element is intended to drive the emitters independently of each other by means of a respective driver output. The control element controls the emitters depending on the determined temperature and the respective characteristic curve of the emitter.

Inventors

Benjamin Höflinger
Markus Klein
Stefan Kerscher
Christian Brandl
Sebastian Stigler
Martin Moritz
Michael Elßner

Assignees

AMS-OSRAM INTERNATIONAL GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20211118
Priority Date: 20201210

Claims (15)

1 . An optoelectronic module comprising: a control element, at least one temperature sensor, and at least one semiconductor emitter unit, wherein the semiconductor emitter unit comprises at least a first emitter and a second emitter, the first emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range, the second emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range, the control element comprises a memory unit and a driver output for each emitter, the temperature sensor determines a temperature of the semiconductor emitter unit, each emitter is assigned a non-linear characteristic curve in the memory unit, the non-linear characteristic curves are configured to compensate a variation of the brightness for each emitter, a variation of an operating current through the control element and a temperature dependence in the temperature sensor used, the control element is intended to drive the emitters independently of each other by means of a respective driver output, and the control element controls the emitters depending on the determined temperature and the respective characteristic curve of the emitter.
2 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor emitter unit comprises a third emitter intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a third wavelength range different from the first and second wavelength ranges.
3 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor emitter unit is arranged together with the control element in a housing.
4 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is integrated in the control element.
5 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is integrated in the semiconductor emitter unit.
6 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the control element is arranged to drive the emitters by means of a PWM signal.
7 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the nonlinear characteristic curves represent a relationship between a control signal of an emitter to be predetermined as a function of temperature.
8 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the control element comprises a communication interface.
9 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of semiconductor emitter units, each semiconductor emitter unit being driven by the control element.
10 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor emitter unit has an identifier.
11 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 10 , wherein the identifier is an optically readable mark.
12 . The optoelectronic module according to claim 10 , wherein the identifier is stored as a digital ID in the memory unit of the control element.
13 . A method comprising the following steps: A) providing an optoelectronic module with an identifier, wherein the optoelectronic module comprises: a control element, at least one temperature sensor, and at least one semiconductor emitter unit, wherein the semiconductor emitter unit comprises at least a first emitter and a second emitter, the first emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range, the second emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range, the control element comprises a memory unit and a driver output for each emitter, the temperature sensor determines a temperature, each emitter is assigned a non-linear characteristic curve in the memory unit, the control element is intended to drive the emitters independently of each other by means of a respective driver output, and the control element controls the emitters depending on the determined temperature and the respective characteristic curve of the emitter, B) determining the first and second wavelength ranges and a first and second brightness of the emitters at a first temperature, C) repeating step B) at a second temperature different from the first temperature, D) determining a temperature-dependent characteristic curve of each of the first and second wavelength ranges and the first and second brightnesses of each emitter; and E) reading out the identifier of the module and F) assigning the determined characteristic curves to the identifier.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein in a step F) the determined characteristic curves are written to the memory unit of the control element.
15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein in a step E) determined characteristic curves are transferred to a server of a network for providing the characteristic curves in the network.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2021/082182, filed on Nov. 18, 2021, which designates the United States and was published in Europe, and which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2020 132 948.2, filed on Dec. 10, 2020, in the German Patent Office. All of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. An optoelectronic module and a method for producing an optoelectronic module are provided. In particular, the optoelectronic module is intended to generate electromagnetic radiation, preferably light that is perceptible to the human eye. A task to be solved is to specify an optoelectronic module that enables a particularly accurate reproduction of electromagnetic radiation with a desired color locus and brightness. According to at least one embodiment, the optoelectronic module comprises a control element, at least one temperature sensor and at least one semiconductor emitter unit. The control element is provided for controlling the semiconductor emitter unit. The temperature sensor determines a temperature of the semiconductor emitter unit. The semiconductor emitter unit is formed with a semiconductor material and is provided for emitting electromagnetic radiation in different wavelength ranges. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, the semiconductor emitter unit comprises at least a first emitter and a second emitter. Preferably, the emitters are designed as semiconductor diodes. Semiconductor diodes are simple and inexpensive to manufacture and have a long service life. Semiconductor diodes are advantageously available with different emission wavelength ranges. The emitters can be controlled separately and are each intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in different wavelength ranges. By varying the brightness of the individual emitters, a mixed radiation can be generated which has a varying color locus. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, the first emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range. The first wavelength range comprises, in particular, a range of the electromagnetic spectrum that is perceptible to the human eye. Preferably, the first wavelength range corresponds to a primary color, for example red, green or blue. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, the second emitter is intended to emit electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The second wavelength range corresponds, for example, to a different primary color than the first wavelength range. In particular, the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range may at least partially overlap. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, the control element comprises a memory unit and one driver output for each emitter. The memory unit is intended in particular for storing digital information. Preferably, the memory unit is a non-volatile memory. Each driver output is intended to supply an emitter with an operating current. The driver outputs are in particular controllable current or voltage sources. Each emitter is preferably assigned exactly one driver output. This means that each emitter can be controlled individually. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, each emitter is assigned a nonlinear characteristic curve in the memory unit. A nonlinear characteristic curve is characterized by having a plurality of different slope values. For example, a current-voltage characteristic curve of a semiconductor diode can be described with a nonlinear characteristic curve. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, the nonlinear characteristic curve of each emitter corresponds to a characteristic curve measured in advance by this emitter. In other words, a component-specific calibration of all emitters is performed. By means of a component-specific calibration, non-linear characteristic curves are measured in advance for each emitter, which can then be stored as non-linear characteristic curves in the memory unit. Advantageously, such a component-specific calibration can be used for particularly precise compensation of external influences, such as ambient temperature. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, the control element is intended to drive the emitters independently of each other by means of a respective driver output. This allows the control element to set any desired mixed color that is emitted by the semiconductor emitter unit. Depending on the actuation of the individual emitters, electromagnetic radiation with a predetermined color location and a predetermined brightness can thus be emitted by the semiconductor emitter unit. According to at least one embodiment of the optoelectronic module, the control element controls